Ever watch old episodes of "The Lone Ranger"? What an idyllic figure of American heroism. He was tough, independent, and never let anyone know his true identity.
It is probably not a shock to hear that God does not want us to be "Lone Ranger Christians." No one person can exemplify the complete life of Jesus to the surrounding world. We need a circle of believers around us who go forth into the world with us. We need what I call a "mission community"—a small group of believers who reach out to specific people and meet specific needs in this world as a means of sharing the grace and truth of Christ.
This brings up some key questions: Just how does the Holy Spirit create these diverse mission communities within churches? Then, once created, how does the Spirit use these communities to reach people for Christ?
A Biblical Model for Mission Communities
In John 15 we discover that the Holy Spirit creates these communities. Jesus says he will "send" the Holy Spirit "from the Father" and that this Spirit will "bear witness" of Jesus in the world (verse 26). This not only implies that the Spirit is God, but also that the Spirit will be the authorized representative of Christ after his departure. How will the Spirit "bear witness" of Christ? Jesus, who previously described himself as "the truth" (John 14:6), now says he will send forth "the Spirit of truth." This Spirit of truth will come to Jesus' disciples so they might "bear witness also" (15:27) of Jesus and his truth in the world.
In John 16 we discover how this "witness" will go forth. Jesus' ministry will continue after his resurrection and ascension because the Spirit of truth "will guide you into all truth" (16:13). It is critical to note that, in this verse, "you" is plural. The implication is that the Spirit will open up the truth of the Good News to communities of believers.
Jesus adds that the Spirit would "glorify me by taking what is mine and disclosing it to you [plural]" (16:14). This implies that the Spirit of truth would allow believers to know Jesus—particularly his truth and glory—within communities. It also implies that the Spirit would glorify Christ in the world through such Spirit-guided communities.
Do you see the flow? In each passage the knowledge and truth of God moves from the Lord Jesus to the Holy Spirit to the disciples. Jesus sends the Spirit into the world, and the Spirit makes Jesus known within believing communities (i.e., the local church). Then this community bears witness of Christ to the world.
Mission Communities and the Great Commission
How does the Spirit use mission communities to fulfill the Great Commission?Â
Jesus commissions all believers in Matthew 28:18: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, into all the world and make disciples." Here Jesus actually extends his very own authority to believers so that they might fulfill the task he has given them: making disciples. As a result, when believers "go into all the world" they can see themselves as having received a personal commissioning from Jesus.
It is important to note that this commissioning was given in the context of community: the Great Commission was delivered to the disciples as a group, and Jesus' words "go" and "make disciples" are in the plural. Combining this with what we learned above regarding mission communities, we can conclude that our commissioning should occur within the context of a local body of believers. The Holy Spirit can turn a Christ-centered small group into an environment where each believer's gifts and motivations for ministry can be both confirmed and activated.
A mission community perspective often requires a transformation in the mindset of the church. Many churches need to move from a "missions" mindset (that is, simply sending career missionaries out of the church) to a "mission" mindset (where each believer comes to know their own life mission, sees it as a part of the Great Commission, and lives it out within a mission community of believers).
Practical Ideas for Developing Mission Communities
How do we make this shift? First, we each need to develop a clear sense of personal mission. We can do this in four ways.
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Asking the Holy Spirit to help us to look closely at our lives, to show us specific ways God has equipped us for ministry
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Asking other believers, particularly those in our groups, to help us identify our spiritual gifts and natural motivations as they observe our lives;
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Trying to think about our own best talents (that is, learned skills such as softball, sewing, or preaching) and passions (ways we want to make a difference in the world, such as evangelism or helping the homeless);
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Once we have identified our distinct gifts, motivations, talents, and passions, we need to ask the Holy Spirit to help us put all these pieces together into a clear mission statement.
Second, we should seek to fulfill our mission within a specific mission community. A small group can provide the encouragement, feedback, instruction, and correction we need to activate this personal calling. Are you in a small community of believers seeking to fulfill a mission—both individually and corporately? If so, encourage each person to share their personal mission, and as they do discuss and look for common themes. Then encourage the group to pray about and identify a group mission that emerges from such an open discussion. Finally, encourage your group to activate your group mission by seeking out specific ways to serve your community and, in doing so, to introduce the grace and truth of Christ to those who would otherwise not have such contact. Perhaps your group can visit a homeless shelter, join a city softball league, do "home makeovers," or serve churches in a foreign country—whatever naturally develops as you identify your group mission. Each unique group will have a unique mission, and the sense of true Christian community will be strengthened as the group's mission is activated.
A mission community mindset not only trumps the "Lone Ranger Christian" syndrome but actually transforms churches by helping each believer align their personal mission with the Great Commission within the context of a small group.
John A. Studebaker is executive director of Bridge Ministries, a resource and training ministry that equips believers to carry out the Great Commission. www.bridge-ministries.org
Copyright © 2007 John A. Studebaker. Used by permission of the author.
